Diego Luna isn’t just a talented actor, but he has some experience behind the camera as well. Let’s take his 2016 film called Mr. Pig. Available currently on Netflix, Luna directed and wrote the movie along with Augusto Mendoza. Mr. Pig originally was showcased at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival and stars Danny Glover, Maya Rudolph, and Jose Maria Yazpik.
Glover plays an old hog farmer who is elderly and ill. His farm has also gone under and he is looking to sell off his prized pig. After an unsuccessful deal with Yazpik’s character, Glover is picked up by Rudolph, who plays his daughter.
The Advantages of Indie Movies
There is something very freeing about independent movies. They are not bogged down by Hollywood norms, therefore they do not have to follow a “paint by numbers” formula when constructing their movies. Luna and Mendoza do a good job of focusing the story on Glover’s character. Glover’s acting really shines in Mr. Pig, as his performance as an ailing and sometimes frustrated man really tugs at the heartstrings. It’s his scenes with Rudolph that may really bring a tear to your eye, as both actors accurately portray a complicated father/daughter relationship that has been strained for years.
What Stood Out to Me the Most
I believe that some of the hardest scenes were when Glover was being escorted around Yazpik’s character’s pig farm. As a meat-eater, I am fully aware that the animals that we eat are not being treated fairly. It is wrong and there does absolutely need to be something done about it. I’m not sure if it was Luna’s intentions, but he certainly made this meat-eater uncomfortable during some scenes and that’s okay. It’s good that Luna looked to give this issue a spotlight. While the entire movie wasn’t about this issue, Luna still wanted to make a comment. As the audience becomes uncomfortable, so does Glover’s character. He’s clearly grown an attachment to his hog and considering he’s been a farmer his whole life, he sees things differently. He rejects the sentiment from Yazpik that “this is how things are done now” and doesn’t appreciate the lack of humanity that the pigs are shown.
Rating: 3.5/5
In conclusion, Mr. Pig showcases real humans. It’s a steady eye on imperfect people and is sometimes uncomfortable to watch. It can be stressful. That’s real life, though; and that’s why I enjoy indie movies. Luna proves himself a talented man both in front of and behind the camera. I’ve never seen Glover or Rudolph in this capacity and their performances were so welcomed. Yazpik and Glover had great chemistry and Yazpik delivered his hard-hitting scenes perfectly.
I would definitely recommend watching Mr. Pig if you have Netflix!
A girl with too many fandoms to count.
